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Chapter Fourty Seven “Hey…”
Niija calls into the cockpit as she enters, “How much longer ‘til we reach
this station?” Meesahran turns to face her incoming visitor, watching her
enter the room and take a seat at the console. “Niija, I was
just getting ready to call you up… We’ve got less than an hour to go before
we reach the Caspian. I’ll introduce you to the Commander, and from there you
are on your own. You okay with that?” Meesahran’s voice is tinged with
concern. “I guess
so… Not like I have a lot of options right now.” Niija shrugs. Meesahran looks
intently into the other woman’s eyes, “Look, if you don’t want this, just
say so. I thought I was helping, but if you aren’t comfortable with it, I can
drop you off anywhere you want after this is over.” Niija places a
hand on Meesahran’s knee, “You did a great thing for me, Mees. You barely
know me and this is a fantastic chance for me. I would have never been any more
than I was back on Kuat… And eventually, they would have found me and I would
have been much less.” She sits back and takes a deep breath. “I’m not
gonna lie to you, this is gonna be different… I mean, it’s always just been
me. I’ve never had anyone to do my bidding, or even worked with people before.
But I think I’m ready.” Meesahran lets
out a heaving sigh, “Man, am I glad to hear that… I was just worried that
you hadn’t said too much about it…” Meesahran takes on another concerned
expression. “Now, you know that ‘officially’ you won’t exist? Not for a
while anyway. You’ll be acting as a secret weapon of sorts. No one knows who
you are, where you are or what you know, and they want to keep it that way. At
least for a little while longer. But I can promise you one thing… Silvas Orian
is an honorable man of his word and what he says in his command will be taken as
the word of law. He will keep you safe and protect your identity with his dying
breath.” The weight of
her words reaches Niija’s mind with all of its intensity, and she nods her
head, “Thank you… Knowing that will make everything a little easier for me.
You really trust him that much?” Meesahran nods
her head, “Yes, and the list of people I trust completely is very short, but
he’s on it.” “Well,
that’s good enough for me…” Niija rises from her seat, “Then I guess I
better get my goodbyes out of the way now…
I’ll meet you in the landing dock when you sound the horn?” “That’s the
plan… And don’t be late.” Meesahran winks at the woman and then watches
her leave the cockpit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With
her chin resting upon her chest, her golden mane lying about her shoulders in a
sweep of curls, Meesahran Tofallin dozes at the controls of the SkyDancer.
But the monotony of subspace travel is about to be concluded, as the proximity
alarm sounds. Barely stirring as she reaches over to turn the alarm off,
Meesahran slowly begins to wake. She then goes through all of her system checks
before she activates the ship’s internal comm. “Ten
clicks to the Caspian… Time to rise and shine.”
Turning off the comm she turns to meet Master Falion Mussiri’s gaze.
“It won’t be long now. And I’ve taken the liberty of shutting down
the comm system in the rest of the ship, just for safety’s sake.” Master Mussiri
takes a seat beside Meesahran, “Thank you, young one. It could be most
disturbing for anyone to access those broadcasts.” He reaches over and
activates the sub-space comm. “SkyDancer to Caspian Control, requesting
approach vector.” Static
fills the cockpit for a few moments before a man’s voice returns across the
void of space, “Caspian Control on line, SkyDancer
is requested to hold position upon confirmation of clearance to approach.” “Acknowledged
Caspian Control, SkyDancer
holding position O one niner on grid twelve.” Covering the mic and turning to
Meesahran, “I certainly hope you have centered yourself, my child. We have
arrived upon a most difficult time and it does not appear to show much relief in
sight.” His somber tone allows Meesahran to understand exactly what he means
and she nods in affirmation. “Caspian
Control to SkyDancer, clearance granted, approach vector is marked and if
you open your beacon you will be brought in to your assigned landing zone.” “Acknowledged
Caspian Control,” looking to Meesahran for conformation, “Beacon is now open
and ready for lock.” “Affirmative
SkyDancer, we have your signal and you are now locked in. Please be aware
that you will be landing in a security zone and all weapons must be locked down
and there will be no departures without military escort. Acknowledge.” “Acknowledged,
Caspian Control. SkyDancer out.” Switching off the comm, Master Falion
turns back to Meesahran, “And so the game begins… If only the path was
clear, I might not be so apprehensive.” Meesahran
contemplates her answer a moment when she comes upon a notion, “Master, we
must trust in the Will of the Force.” Her
simple words bring him more comfort than he thought possible, Perhaps my
lessons have begun to take hold, finally. And he returns her thoughtful
words with a careful smile. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Having left the
cockpit for the first time in more than a day, Meesahran walks the corridor
towards her cabin. Her steps are slow and deliberate, and filled with the dread
of facing Xana with her continued bad news. Upon reaching
the cabin, she finds Xana gathering up her belongings for departure. Taking a
deep breath before entering, Meesahran girds herself up for the confrontation. Turning to see
her friend, Xana greets her, “Oh, Meesahran! I cannot believe we made such
wonderful time. There is still hope!” “Yeah
well-…” Interrupting
her friend, “They should only now be preparing for the parade. And, if so, it
will be several hours before they are ready for the final presentation.” Seeing her
excitement has just made Meesahran’s job that much harder. “Xana…” She
waits for the young woman to face her, “Caspian Control has us in a beacon
lock right now, and they’re sending us to a security zone, which means we’re
on comm blackout until we’re cleared from the security zone. But we did get
word that the parade had already started.” Waiting for the information to sink
in to her friend, Meesahran pauses, “The Ruling Council sent their apologies
to you, but they could not wait any longer.” In a flash of
misery, all of Xana’s hopes have been dashed with those words. As tears begin
to form in her deep blue-green eyes. The sadness that Meesahran finds there
burns in her own heart with great pain. She reaches out and takes the young
woman into her arms to console her immense grief. “I’m so sorry, Xana, but
it just couldn’t be helped.” Though she can
sense the young woman’s torment, she can also feel the firm resolve she is now
building within herself. Breaking from the embrace, Xana stands up straight and
takes in a deep breath of her own, “I shall be fine… I just need a moment to
collect myself… If you do not mind?” Meesahran nods her head begins to back
out of the room. “If you need
anything, just hit the comm.” Xana nods at her friend as Meesahran grabs a
fresh flight suit from her locker and leaves the room. Walking down
the corridor, Meesahran is struck by the amount of maturing her friend has under
gone on this trip alone. So ensconced in those thoughts she almost runs into
Niija. “Oh sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” “S’cool.
So, what exactly have I gotten
myself into?” Meesahran notices that the young woman has a bag slung over her
shoulder. “Oh,
you’re gonna have a title, flunkies, the whole thing. And more ships to work
on than you ever thought you’d want to, plus access to the good stuff.
Supplies there just for the requisitioning.” Meesahran’s devilish look tells
Niija more than she wanted to know. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Niija. Right
now, they consider you something akin to the Great Unifier! When I sent them
your schematics they nearly wept with joy.” Meesahran gives her a sly wink. “Well, now
that might not be so bad… Flunkies you say?” “And ones
that are required to salute and say, ‘Yes ma’am’ with every
instruction.” They both laugh at the idea. “Well, as
long as you put it that way… I guess it won’t be so bad being legit… At
least for a little while.” Now it is Niija’s turn to give the devilish wink.
“Well, I guess the kid is pretty upset right now?” Pausing for confirmation
in Meesahran’s face. “Yeah, that’s why I already packed up my stuff
earlier. Just wanted to say my goodbyes, but I guess I should hold off for now,
huh?” Meesahran’s nod is the only response she needs. “S’cool, I’ll
just go hang out in the galley for a while… See ya later.” Niija walks off
in the opposite direction, as Meesahran heads down the corridor to the
‘fresher. A meeting with the commander requires a certain level of dress,
after all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Leaning over
the cockpit of his ship Jae-Lee is demonstrating some of the features of his
craft to Xana in an attempt to distract her from her reverie. “And this one is
for the comm system. Last time I was at Bilbringi I got a new booster for it, so
I can send and receive subspace transmissions from nearly anywhere there is a
transceiver. Makes those long trips a lot easier, plus it gives me a better shot
at keeping my info up to-“ Xana
interrupts, “You can pick up subspace transmissions with this? Such as
broadcasts?” Her excitement intrigues Jae. “Um, yeah,
usually, if the signal is strong enough to breach atmosphere… You got one in
mind?” He smiles at her as he starts to fiddle with the dials. “Why yes!
They always broadcast the commentary of the Parade of Children as well as the
speaker.” Turning to face him, “Do you really think you could acquire that
transmission from here?” Just as the
words leave her lips the sounds of static begin to fill the cockpit, and then
slowly, as he adjusts the tuner little by little, a voice begins to come
through. “The
Ru-shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… Coming around-aahaaahahhhhhhhhh… Yes, I can see her
now. She is dressed in a most brilliantly colored gown of the most exquisite
Chandrillan silks. A green that rivals that of our bountiful seas, and a deep
blue that can only be said to match that of our clear and lovely skies. And as
always, by her side, walks her youngest daughter, Cherié, in a beautifully
tailored gown of ivory with long tabards, of the palest green, that nearly reach
the ground. The children are marching and dancing all about Ruler Mehand in
their brightly colored costumes of reds and blues and yellows and greens and
purples. No two costumes looking alike. Making it appear as though the Ruler is
walking amidst an ocean of vibrant colors… Looking around at this year’s
crowd I cannot imagine that there is a single Chandrillan who is not present
along the parade route or in Triumph Plaza. Hanna City is literally brimming
over with people here for the annual festivities surrounding today’s Parade of
Children… And now, Ruler Mehand and her entourage are approaching the dais at
the center of Triumph Plaza. You can practically feel the excitement exuding
from the people gathered here today…” “Sounds like
quite an event… I’m kind of sorry to be missing it myself now.” Jae says
as he places a hand on Xana’s shoulder. As he does so, he notices that her
neck is wet. Turning her face to look into her eyes, he sees the streaming
tears. “Oh, hey, maybe I should turn this thing off.” She puts her
hand over his as he reaches for the switch, “No don’t… I am just glad to
at least be able to hear the event. I promise.” Jae turns back
to her and wipes the tears from her cheek with his fingers. “If you’re
sure?” She nods her head in affirmation. “Oh
my! It looked like the Ruler had taken a bad step there for a moment, but her
ever-vigilant daughter, Cherié, was there to lend a hand to her mother. They
are now stepping up to the-…” A series of loud reports can be heard from the
comm speakers, “NOOOOOOOO! The Ruler is down. She’s not standing, and where
is- Her daughter- Cherié is down too. It’s absolute chaos down there. I
can’t make out what’s going on. There are too many people running about. My
goodness what is happening down there?!” Jae and Xana
stare at each other in shock, “Jae?” “I don’t
know, but it sounded like-…” “Like
what?!” She grabs his hand for reassurance. “Like a
slug-rifle shot… A bunch of them.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Standing in the
corridor just outside the cargo bay doors, Master Falion Mussiri rests a hand on
the wall and shakes his head in an uncommon display of sorrow. The broadcast
continues to spill out into the corridor as he listens to the descriptions of
the carnage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At a desk in a
simple office sits a middle-aged man of reasonable size. At his temples can be
found those telltale traces of age, but upon closer inspection the gray seems to
have become liberally interspersed throughout his full beard as well. He
carefully scrolls through the data before him on the computer terminal. Pausing
a moment to consider something seriously, while stroking his bearded chin. Just then a
scruffy looking, diminutive mechanic, dressed in a smudged and dirty coverall
comes into the office, wiping his hands on a rag. “Chief? You wanted to see
me?” “Yeah, what
is our timetable on that last arrival of ships?” Toman speaks without taking
his eyes off of the screen. “Should be
finishin’ up wit de last one afore supper time… And then I jes got that
group outta Fondor afore we’re done wit de lot of ‘em, Chief.” The short
mechanic drops into the plasteen chair to the right of Toman Higaeri’s desk. “Excellent
work, Greeb. So, what do you make of this whole mess?” Toman looks up for the
first time, and offers the other man a cigarra. Reaching across
the desk to take the cigarra, Greeb lets out a whistle, “I’m tellin’ ya,
Chief, whose ever you got dem schematics from is a fraggin’ genius. I’da
never found dem alterations on my own. And the difrence dey make is like night
from day.” The two men
take turns lighting their cigarras and then leaning back in their respective
chairs. Just as they exhale their first full breaths of the rich and spicy smoke
a young man from the comm center bursts into the office. “Chief! You ain’t
gonna believe what’s goin’ on now!” Sitting up with
a start, Toman responds, “Well, it better be good news for that kind of
interruption.” “Sorry,
Chief, but as soon as the reports started comin’ in I knew you’d wanna hear
‘em.” Toman appears
to be confused and intrigued, “Well, spill it, man! Before I box your ears for
being annoying, on principle alone.” “It’s
Chandrila, Chief… Someone’s gone and killed the Ruler and her whole blasted
family!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two women stand
in front of a sealed outer door on the inside of the ship that has been their
only home for more than a week. The smaller of the two has a large bag thrown
over her shoulder and the remote for her repulsorlift in one hand. The other
hand is resting against the bulkhead of the ship, supporting her frame as she
continues to lie in wait for the green light to show them the outer lock has
been pressurized. The taller
woman, dressed in a freshly pressed flight suit, buttoned to the top of her
neck, and without her trademark battered jacket, tugs at the collar of her
flight suit. Shifting from one foot to the other in a restless fashion, she is
also twisting the end of the uncharacteristic braid in her golden mane. “You
got a hot date or something?” Niija asks jokingly. “What?.. Um,
no, just a little nervous… I don’t usually meet the big wigs alone.”
Meesahran responds, a little too distractedly. “Yeah, I got
that impression… So, what’s the rest of it?” Niija questions. Meesahran
starts to speak and then remembers that she is under a certain amount of
secrecy. “Um, nothing really… Just lots of stuff going on right now.” Niija nods her
head, “Yeah, I’m sure the assassination has everyone a little juiced right
now. Plus being on edge about the Kuati Regime doesn’t help, I’m sure.”
Niija helps her new friend to change subjects. “Yeah, but
that’s what you’re gonna do… Get them ready for whatever they have
planned.” They both nod and then the green light illuminates, indicating that
it is okay to open the docking bay inner door. Releasing the
seal, with the same trouble as the last times, they manage to wrench the door
open to find a tall man in a commander’s uniform looking over Reklaw’s
fighter in the bay. Hearing the door open the commander looks up at the entering
young women, “Well, it’s good to see a friendly face, Young Meesahran!” The older man,
with the lively step approaches the two women with much haste. Taking Meesahran
into his arms for a brief embrace. “I have not had the pleasure of seeing your
shining face in at least a few years, my dear…” Pulling her back to get a
good look at her, he exclaims, “And I see the years have been far better to
you than they have been to me!” Trying to
gather her wits about her, Meesahran responds to the commander, “Thank you,
Sir. And it’s good to see you as well.” “So formal?
Must be all that time locked up with the old man that’s given you such
manners.” He winks at Meesahran, “I can remember a time when you welcomed
everyone in the same manner.” Releasing his hold on her arms, he takes a step
back, “But as I can see you have matured, I will respect that maturity.” He
takes her hand in his and gives it a firm shake. “Apprentice Tofallin, so good
to see you again.” Again he winks at Meesahran. “I wouldn’t
go that far, Commander. But thank you anyway.” “Well, now
that we have gotten that out of the way… I understand you have a ‘package’
for me… Is this the ‘package?’” The commander looks at Niija as he
speaks. “Yes, Sir…
Comannder Silvas Orian, may I present Niija Myaann, formerly of Kuat, and now at
your service.” Meesahran makes Niija’s presentation to the delight of all
present. “Well, young
lady, I trust that Meesahran’s descriptions of your abilities are not
embellished, because you have your work cut out for you here.” Commander Orian
takes the diminutive young woman’s hand in his and gives it a careful shake. “Sir, I
believe that I can be of some service to your organization. And there isn’t
another person in the galaxy who would be able to what needs to be done… Not
that would be willing or able anyways.” Her confidence might have seemed like
bravado had she not had ultimate faith in her knowledge and abilities. “Then I guess
that settles it!” He turns toward the landing dock, “Lieutenant!” Just then a
junior officer is at his elbow, “Aye Sir!” Handing Niija a
datapad, “Make sure that Engineer Captain Manyarn is properly quartered and
taken to her engineering facility. Understood Lieutenant?” He gives her a wink
to let her know that he has not forgotten her name. “Aye Sir!...
This way Captain.” The young officer directs Niija to the station. She takes a
quick look at Meesahran, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the bay workers get
your stuff unloaded into your new digs.” Niija hands her
the repulsorlift remote and then gives her a brief hug. “Thanks… For
everything.” Meesahran
whispers in her ear before they break their embrace, “You too… Anytime you
need me?” “I know, just
holler.” And with that, Niija departs with the young officer. Turning back to
the commander, “Sorry about that, but you know how it is sometimes?” “Getting
attached is impossible to stop, and I wouldn’t want to myself. Takes the
passion out of the work, and that is never a good thing… So, are you prepared
for the next phase of this mission?” Getting down to
business, Meesahran could always count on the commander to at least keep that
simple. “Well, there may be some problems with that.” The commander
turns to her with an eyebrow cocked in anticipation of her response, “You see,
someone got hold of a transmission of the parade broadcast on the way here.” The commander
hangs his head and groans, “Never fails, something always changes at the last
minute… And I thought the increase in targets would be the last of it!” “Sorry,
Sir… She wants to go on with us to Sanctuary. She doesn’t think she could
handle being back at the Universite just yet, and she knows she doesn’t want
to return to her brother’s place.” Meesahran wrings her hands a bit while
explains everything to the Commander. “So, I’m not sure what to do at this
point.” Silvas takes
hold of her hand, “It will be fine. Do you have room for so many
passengers?” “Yeah, if we
have some more bunks, we could manage.” “Then I will
make the appropriation, and you will depart within the hour. I need you to
deliver this ‘package’ to Sanctuary, post haste… Is that understood?”
Silvas looks directly into Meesahran’s eyes as he speaks. “Yes, Sir. I
understand, but I’m still not sure how this is gonna work.” Meesahran shakes
her head. “Well, as I
am sure you are used to at this point, we’ll just have to trust in the wisdom
of our elders to carry us through.” Meesahran nods with his declaration and
prepares to return to the inner chambers of the ship. “I’ll have those
supplies delivered immediately and comm you when the ‘package’ is ready to
be moved.” “Thank you,
Sir.” And with that, they both depart the docking bay of the ship. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Outside the
orbital station Caspian, the standard patrol formation of three Riptides
and one Waverunner glided around the perimeter of the station as the
angular black and gold freighter glided into the landing zone. The pilot on
the aft wing of the formation runs the registration identification through his
computer. As the name SkyDancer pops up on his display the young pilot
becomes restless. “Green
Three, trim up that wing,”
filters into his conscience from the comm speaker. “Aye, Green
Leader.” The young officer rights his flight path with the instruction from
his captain. “Green
Three, switch over to my private frequency.”
Immediately following Captain Tallage’s instruction, Lt. Tryashoenu alerts her
with an acknowledgment click of the comm. “What’s
the malfunction, Lieutenant?” “Sorry,
Ma’am… It is just that I recognized the freighter that was just given
clearance by Caspian Control.” His voice nearly falters with the strain of the
knowledge that his sister is aboard that freighter. “Copy
that… Anything I should relay to Caspian Control about it, Lieutenant?” “No
Ma’am, I just know the occupants.” Taking a deep breath, Yorel strengthens
his resolve to maintain the detached attitude of a soldier. There is a
short pause before the captain responds once more, “Understood… Just keep
your Riptide in formation and we’ll deal with this information once we
reach Caspian Control… Affirmative?” “Affirmative.
Green Three in formation, Captain.” Switching back to the flight group
frequency, Yorel struggles to maintain his focus on the task at hand, and not on
the situation that his sister may or may not be involved in at the moment. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Entering the
cargo bay, Jae Lee Reklaw notices that his friend is quite busy reorganizing a
corner of the bay into what appears to be a series of billets. Curious as to the
need for such a thing, he decides to question Meesahran about the nature of her
task, while offering to help her. Careful to
project his presence, he calls out, “Hey, need a hand?” Meesahran,
alerted to his presence and intentions by her friend’s courteous warning,
turns to greet the smiling face of her dear friend. “Jae, um, yeah, I guess
so. Just trying to square away these bunks before th-…” Her abrupt
mid-sentence stop lets him know he has reached the end of the information. “I know, I
know… Later, I’ll find out later, right?” Exasperated by her patent
answer, he grabs one of the military bunks and opens it up. “So, who gets the
privilege of a military sleep?” She
stands upright and contemplates her response, “Most likely?… You, me and
Master Mussiri.” She goes back to outfitting the bunk she has already
installed, “I couldn’t ask Xana to give up anymore than she already has, so
she’s movin’ to the med bay bunk, and… Well, the other cabins are gonna be
occupied.” Jae pauses for
a moment, wondering just when his friend will finally trust him enough to
confide in him all these secret goings on, but he satisfies himself with the
knowledge that this stone wall is only temporary. And just as he begins to go
back to his task, Meesahran puts a hand on his forearm. “I’m sorry about all
the secrets, Jae… But they aren’t my choice. I have to follow my
instructions. It’s the only way right now… Can you understand that?” The
depth of the emotion in those words is enough to melt Jae’s resolve. “Well, I
don’t know if ‘understand’ is the right word… But I can accept it…”
Placing his hand over hers, “For now.” Their silent accord is seen in both
of their eyes and they return to their task at hand. Just as she
gets the last bunk opened, the small comm unit on her belt goes off. Looking
somewhat startled, and definitely more nervous, she puts a hand to the unit
before meeting Jae’s gaze. Seeing her hesitate before talking, Jae simply
shrugs, “Yeah, I’ll just finish up here… Don’t worry.” The broad smile
that crosses her face tells him that his instincts were correct, and he accepts
situation for what it is, and nothing more. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As she reaches
the outer door, Meesahran stops to straighten her now disheveled hair and
re-fasten the collar of her flight suit. While she is preparing herself, Master
Falion Mussiri appears at her side. “You look just fine, young one. No one is
expecting a formal welcoming ceremony.” His careful smile lightens her
apprehensions, and she gives the signal on the comm unit. After a few
moments, a signal is returned and a voice comes through the static, “Are
you prepared to receive the ‘package?’” Meesahran takes
her cue from her master and responds, “Aye, Sir. Ready when you are.” “Very
well, open the outer hatch on my next signal.”
The booming voice of Commander Orian can be felt even through the tinny sounding
comlink. A few more
moments pass, and with them Meesahran’s apprehension returns. But, just before
she can begin to fidget once more, the comm sounds once again. She begins to
open the outer hatch, a much easier prospect than the bay doors. Soon she is
swinging open the door, only to find a landing zone in total darkness. Well,
that would explain why he wanted to use the hatch instead of the bay,
Meesahran thought. There can be
no record of this event, young one… Every precaution is a necessary one.
Master Falion takes a deep breath and steps out of the hatch onto the decking of
the security bay. Using only his abilities as an adept, he is able to sense out
the people moving in darkness and silence. He is able to sense them as entities,
but also as fellow adepts, for they are using the abilities to make their way to
the ship. Upon reaching the most familiar of the three entities, Master Falion
stops to embrace this familiar presence and to bring comfort where it is needed.
However, the moment is short lived, as there is a need for haste on this day,
and they all return to making their way back to the ship. Once all four
being have entered the outer hatch of the SkyDancer, Meesahran seals the
door, and gives the signal to Commander Orian using the comlink. “All
right, you’re cleared for take off, so there will be no need for delay… Safe
journey to you all.” Meesahran hits
the light panel on the corridor wall and then keys the comlink on a different
frequency, “Hit it, Jae.” “Had
pre-flight going as soon as the hatch was sealed… Better strap in down in the
hold… We’ve got the cockpit.”
And he closes the transmission, Meesahran can feel the repulsorlifts activate. Motioning for
her guests to head towards the inner portion of the cargo bay, “Please, it
will only be for a few minutes… Until we reach hyperspace.” The three
immediately follow the lead of Master Mussiri as he departs the hatch area for
the cargo bay seating. Leaning back to
whisper into the comlink, “Jae, you on headset?” “Affirmative.” “This could
get really messy, so make sure you keep Xana in the forward area until I get
this thing under control. Do you copy?” “Copy
that.” Is everything
okay? Hearing his
projection in her head, she is delighted that is training is going so well, but
instead of commenting she simply responds in kind, Yeah, just a tricky
situation, and Xana would only make it worse right now. All right,
but you better do some explaining real soon, Kid. Noticing that
she has drawn some attention to herself, she uses the comlink once more,
“Affirmative, all passengers secure. Make your jump at will.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gesturing to
his cabin door, Master Falion Mussiri leads the way for one of the newly arrived
passengers. “I am aware that these accommodations are not what you are
accustomed to, old friend, but they are the best that we humble travelers may
offer.” Looking around
the room with an appraising eye, the older woman simply shakes her head,
“Master Falion, I do not wish to displace anyone, least of all yourself. I
shall be satisfied to take up a small corner somewhere for the duration of our
flight.” Catching her
eye with his slight grin, “Speak no more of this, my friend. You shall occupy
this cabin, and your companions shall inhabit the other cabin, just down the
corridor. I have already made adjustments to the sleeping arrangements of my
other passengers, and we are all satisfied with those arrangements. And that is
the last I shall speak on the matter.” The two then laugh, sharing in the
unspoken joke between them. “Now that the formalities are done with… I must
give you some news.” The older woman
takes a seat at the foot of the pallet, while Master Falion occupies the nearest
chair. “From your tone, I should expect that it is bad news?” She asks. “That will be
determined by your own particular point of view… The child is still aboard
this vessel.” Master Mussiri waits a while for the information to settle in
for his friend before continuing, “She managed to hear a broadcast from Hanna
City was deeply upset by the events… She has decided to withdraw from the
Université will be going on with us to Sanctuary. She transmitted her
intentions to her brothers shortly before we left the Caspian.” Master Falion
stand from his seat and goes the side of his dear friend, placing a supportive
hand upon her weary shoulder, “I am afraid you will be forced to deal with the
events of today much sooner than you anticipated, old friend.” With her head
bowed in contemplation and dread, she begins to nod, “Yes, indeed I shall,
Master. But how much shall be revealed is yet another problem.” “I
understand, my friend.” He takes the woman’s hand, “But secrets have
always had a way of revealing themselves when we least expect, or want them. We
must trust in the Will, and pray that we are on the path it has laid out for
us.” She places a hand over the one he has lain upon her shoulder and they
both nod in agreement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Looking
around at her small, and sparse cabin Meesahran speaks to her companions, “I
hope you will be able to make yourselves comfortable during our journey. I know
that this is not exactly what you are both used to-…” She
is cut off by the younger of the two women, “Please, this will be just
fine.” The two women place their satchels on the available pallets and each
turns as they hear footsteps approaching. “Well,
I see that you girls are making yourselves to home?” The older woman walks
into the cabin. “Young Meesahran, I would like to thank you for providing us
with such wonderful hospitality.” “Thank
you, Ma’am.” Meesahran steps out of the way for the older women to enter the
room fully and reach her companions. “Hospitality
is one of the few lessons that my apprentice has taken to with great ease.”
Master Falion follows quickly behind her. “Some
how I doubt that, Master Falion.” The youngest of the women approaches Master
Mussiri and embraces him. “Good to see you again, Master.” Smiling
with a mirth Meesahran has seen only on rare occasions, as of late, Master
Falion responds to the woman’s jibe, “ It is good to see you again as well,
but I warn you not to trifle with this apprentice, for I fear she shall be your
undoing.” Stepping
back and taking an appraising look at Meesahran, “She does not appear to be
much more than a girl still, Master. How could she best someone such as
myself?” Chuckling
at the question, Master Falion simply responds, “You should ask Master Rivendi
that question when you see him. For I heard him speak those same words once upon
a time, and now he only spares with my apprentice in tandem with another Master,
to avoid an untimely end.” Nodding
with understanding, “Well, if Timaji has that much respect for your abilities,
then I shall give you a wide berth, young one.” The three women and Mast
Mussiri let out sympathetic and light-hearted laughter at Meesahran’s
embarrassment. As
their laughter filters out into the corridor, a young woman attempts to enter
the room when she is awestruck by the sight held within and lets out a scream.
Startled by the scream each turns to see the young woman, and that is when Cherié
exclaims, “Xana?!” just as the young woman faints into the arms of the young
man behind her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After
carrying her to the med-bay, Jae and Meesahran exit the room to allow Ruler
Mehand and Master Mussiri attend to Xana. However, this is only the beginning of
Jae’s involvement in the events that have just transpired, and Meesahran knows
that he is going to need some answers this time. “What
in the name of Corel is going on here, Mees!?” There is a bit of anger tinting
his voice. “Look,
let’s get to the cargo bay, and I’ll try to explain.” She places a hand on
his chest to guide him back towards the other end of the ship. “Fine,
but I want some answers… No more of this mystery petchuk!” Meesahran
begins to work out the details of what she is going to say to Jae once they
reach the cargo bay. And no matter which way she spins the tale in her mind, she
knows that the only way to resolve his anger is tell him the truth, or at least
as much of the truth as she can get away with this time. Reaching
the bay, Jae immediately turns around to find Meesahran closing the doors.
“What, are you gonna launch out the bay, instead of telling the truth this
time?” The enmity in his voice hurts Meesahran deeply, but she knows it is
warranted. “Look,
I’m sorry-…” “No
more apologies. No more ‘wait a while longer, Jae.’ No more, Mees! I want
some answers and I want them NOW!” Jae is seething with anger now. Meesahran
knows that seeing Xana pass out like that is one of the reasons, but she also
knows that her insistence that he remain in the dark as long as he has is the
main reason for his anger. “Please,
just-..” “Just
what, wait? Well, I’m-…” “Koccic
Slung! I am not the osk’y here. And if
you will just give me a chance to speak, I will tell you what’s going on.
Okay?” She waits for him to take a seat and cool down a bit. When he does, he
nods his head and she begins, “Well, first off, I guess you figured out that
Ruler Mehand is not really dead.” “That’s
the understatement of the century.” Meesahran waits for him to be finished,
“Sorry, go on.” “The
stuff with the Kuati’s goes much deeper than you might think, and right now
Niija is helping the fleet prepare for the worst. The problem is, we don’t
know who is really behind all this stuff.” “What
do you mean?” Jae asks with all sincerity. “Well,
you said it yourself… They just don’t have the wherewithal to pull something
this large scale off on their own. It affects more than them, we all know how
self-centered the Kuati are, right?” Meesahran pauses long enough for that
thought to register with Jae. “So, with everything heating up, and with real
attempts having started on Ruler Mehand nearly a standard year ago, the Council
felt that something needed to be done…” “The
‘Council?’” Jae asks. “Um,
yeah, the leaders at the Sanctuary… Anyway, Ruler Mehand is the one who came
up with the assassination thing. She knew the people of Chandrila would not be
willing to let her go, and she is needed at the Sanctuary to figure this whole
thing out. Plus, she knew that martial law would need to be in affect in order
for her people to be properly protected. With some recent changes she’s made,
Commander Orian will be the head of the government until the Provincial
Governors can convene to nominate another Ruler.” Meesahran feels that this
should be more than enough for Jae to digest at the moment, but when he begins
to speak, she realizes that Jae, too, has grown beyond her knowledge of him. “Okay,
so you and Master Mussiri hatch this fake assassination plot, but where does
Higaeri come in on this?” “Um,
well, Toman has interests on Chandrila, plus he is a Chandrillan, no matter that
he can’t set foot on the planet without being arrested. And there’s the
matter of interstellar war being something of deterrent to his shipping
business.” Hoping that he will now be satisfied, Meesahran waits with baited
breath. “All
right, that makes sense. But something is still not right, Mees. I know the
Kuati’s hate the Chandrillan’s, but their trade is not affected by
Higaeri’s business enough to want to attack an entire planet. There has to be
more to it than that.” His question is valid, unfortunately, Meesahran does
not have an answer this time. “And
if you can figure out the link to that problem, you’ll have earned yourself a
posting to the Council.” Meesharan chuckles at the thought of Jae on the
Council. “Well,
I guess we can’t have all the answers, huh?” Jae’s sideways smirk curls
his lips, and then it stops as another thought comes to his mind, “But hey…
How’d that woman know who Xana was?” Meesahran
takes in a very deep breath before proceeding, “Well, I hope you got some
time, ‘cause that’s a story all its own…” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A
silver haired woman carefully wrings the water from the cloth in her hands over
the basin. As the last drop falls into the basin, she turns to the unconscious
figure upon the bed in the med-bay. Gingerly, she dabs the cloth across the
fair-haired young woman’s forehead and cheeks, hoping to bring her back
around. As
she traces the angular and graceful features of the young woman’s face she is
contemplating how she will deal with the delicate situation before her now. If
she reveals too much, the girl may become angry, but yet, if she attempts to
continue hiding the truth from this young woman she may never get another
opportunity like this. Her
contemplations are soon terminated when the young woman begins to stir under the
older woman’s ministrations. As she continues to stir from her unconscious
state, Elassi Mehand composes herself and prepares for one of the hardest things
she has ever been faced with in her life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Struggling
to break through to consciousness, young Xana Tryashoenu fights the darkness.
Her eyes begin to flutter, but she cannot seem to force them to open. Perhaps
her fear or sense of astonishment is fighting against her regaining
consciousness. Either way, she must return to herself and to the world outside
of her own mind. And so she fights the darkness, pushing herself to awaken from
this sudden slumber. She turns her head, in the hopes that this will prompt her
eyes to open, but alas they still fear the light. Managing to open them but a
sliver, the light causes her visible pain. It
is then she hears a familiar voice, “Oh, my dear! Perhaps dimming the lights
would be wise at this time.” And with the distant, but comforting voice, the
lights begin to lower and she finds that her eyes are much more willing this
time. First one lid rises for a moment, and then the other. Soon the moments are
longer, and then one eye opens fully, followed by the other. She
soon puts together that she has somehow found her way into the med-bay. Thinking
back to the last thing she can remember before she was plunged into darkness by
the shock. And that thing is Jae. He looked so worried. “He
seems quite taken with you, child.” Xana is shocked again. How could this
woman have known what she was thinking? Was I projecting again? Chuckling
a bit to herself, “Well, just a little, but perhaps you have not fully
recovered from your shock… Just yet.” With
that, Xana sits straight up in the bed, “But how?” Looking
puzzled by her question, “How what, child?” Thinking
about it for a moment, Xana brings her hand up to her face, absent-mindedly
chewing on her index finger, “Well, all of it, I suppose… How can you be
here with me, now, and how are you able to hear my projections?” “To
the latter of your questions: I am an adept myself. Though not a very strong
one, I do have considerable empathetic abilities.” Elassi stops for a moment,
considering carefully what she will say next. As the thoughts begin to swirl
through her mind she finds that she has brought her hand to mouth and is about
to chew on her finger when she quickly places it back in her lap. As for your
former question… Well, that one will take a bit more explaining, I
suppose…” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Her
mind reeling from the sheer volume of information now contained within her
psyche, Xana sits perfectly still upon the bunk in the Med-Bay, her knees drawn
up to her chest with her arms wrapped tightly around them for comfort. In the
chair at her side sits the Great Unifier, Elassi Mehand, also sitting still, but
her stillness is out of fear for the young woman’s reaction to her revelation.
Many
moments pass before either breaks the eerie silence. And when it is broken it is
only a deep sigh escaping the young woman’s lungs. After a few more moments,
she finally breaches the still and silent air, “I had no idea things were so
desperate…” Release
the breath, that she only just now realizes she had been holding, Elassi
responds, “Perhaps that is my doing more than anyone’s… I only wanted to
protect our people, but in this case I may have gone too far.” For the first
time, she has let the sadness escape from the confines of her heart. “My
protective nature has been my greatest strength, while still being my greatest
weakness.” Releasing
the grip on her knees, and straightening herself before speaking, Xana says,
“How can you say such a thing? You have given so much to our people… They
would never think such a thing… I could never think such a thing.” Those
words, meant to sooth Elassi’s troubled heart, sink into her like that of a
plunging dagger. Choking back the tears that will have to flow at some point,
Elassi pulls herself together enough to thank the girl, “I appreciate you
thoughts on the matter, child…” Rising from her chair, “I should go, you
have had quite a shock today, and I am certain that you need your rest.” Xana
takes her hand before she has a chance to depart the Med-Bay, “Thank you…
For everything.” Elassi struggles not to look the girl in the eye, fore she
knows that she will be unable to hold back the flood gates which are, even now,
threatening to burst. So, she nods her head in acknowledgement and heads for the
door. Nearly
home free, she is surprised at the door by her daughter, Cherié. “Hey,
how’s the patient doing?” Not seeing past her mother, Cherié is shocked
when Xana responds by standing up and greeting her at the door. Elassi,
now pinned between the two women, struggles to make the introduction. “Child,
may I present my youngest child, Cherié Mehand.” Taken aback at the
introduction, Cherié offers her hands in greeting to the young woman. As Xana
takes Cherié’s hands into her own, she appears to have received something of
a shock, from the fact that she immediately withdraws her hands. Looking
embarrassed, Xana tries to play it off, but her mind is now a mass of chaos from
the implications that shock has brought. Cherié, sensing her confusion tries to
offer an explanation, “Sorry, it’s been some time since that happened…
Must be all the tension.” Xana
looks up into Cherié’s eyes and deep within them Xana finds something oddly
familiar. Something that she has seen before… [i]Something from my past…[/i]
Picking up on her intimations, Cherié backs away from the young woman, hoping
distance will help to alleviate the issue. “I know you from somewhere, don’t
I?” Xana asks with a tenuous uncertainty. Cherié
stumbles over her words a bit, “I don’t see how… We’ve never met.” “No,
it’s not like that… But I know you… I’ve seen those eyes before, and you
have a very familiar presence.” Xana racks her brain for the answer, but she
fears it will never come, because her mind seems to not understand the
familiarity Xana finds in this woman. Shaking
her head to deny her argument, Cherié begins to absent-mindedly rub her fingers
across the locket around her neck. As soon as she has realized her error in
doing so, it is too late. Xana exclaims, “Where did you get that locket?!” Both
Elassi and Cherié suddenly look as though they are a couple of nerf in front of
the speeder lights at midnight. Looking to each other for assistance, they both
try to speak at once. “Stop!”
Xana shouts. “That was my mother’s locket! Why do you have my mother’s
locket?” Xana is so enraged that the room is positively charged with
electricity at this point. Taking
a deep and steeling breath, Cherié is the first to talk, “This is not your
mother’s locket, as it has been around my neck since I reached ten years
old… As was the custom in my home on a child’s tenth celebration day.” Looking
completely confused, Xana tries to respond to this statement, “How could you
know that story? That was how my mother got her locket… That locket… I can
never forget that locket.” Elassi,
knowing that the truth will finally come out, resigns herself to finishing the
story. “Your mother received her locket upon what was determined to be her
tenth birthday, which is also when a child begins their formal education on our
world, should they so choose it. It became a tradition in her home that when a
child in the home reached the age of ten, they would receive a locket or a
pendant (depending on the sex of the sibling) and that they would all match.
They each contained markings that were not only specific to the family’s
province, but also to the family itself.” Stopping for moment to retake her
seat and motioning for the other two women to find purchase upon the bunk,
“You see, it was a long passed tradition of that family to give out these
necklaces, and your mother’s mother wished to revive it along with her new
chance at motherhood. Your mother was the first child adopted by this family in
a very long time, for nobles had this silly notion that blood alone should
determine nobility.” The
confusion on Xana’s face is only matched by the terror on Cherié’s as
Elassi continues the story. “Wanting a family more than pride, she threw out
the old beliefs and brought many children into her home and into her heart. She
and her husband changed the lives of countless young people through their
actions, and provided a caring and loving home for more than a dozen children
themselves.” This
time it is Xana’s turn to shake her head in disbelief, “But that is the
story I have always heard about you, Ruler Mehand?” “Yes,
that is true.” Xana
asks one last question, “What are you saying to me?” Cherié
places a hand over Xana’s. “She is saying that your mother was that first
child. Her first child…” Letting her careful and quiet words sink in a bit
more, “This is your grandmother.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Upon
entering the Med-Bay, Meesahran find the young woman within curled up into a
ball on the bunk. The confusion and pain being felt by her is palpable to
Meesahran, and she is struck by the wave of emotions as she nears the bunk.
Careful not to frighten the girl, Meesahran projects her presence in a subtle
and reassuring manner. Sensing that Xana has accepted her presence, she sits
sideways on the bed and places a hand upon the knee of her dear friend. “I
thought you could use an ear, or maybe a shoulder…” Meesahran can feel the
slight easing of her friend’s distress, but she is still in so much pain. Without
taking her face from the crook of her arm, Xana speaks, “Thank you, but there
is nothing that can be done… I must simply adjust to this revelation.” Her
words, filled with anguish, reach Meesahran’s ears through the muffled speech
fo her friend. “Then
I guess I should just ask for your forgiveness and go about my-…” Swiftly
spinning across the top of the bunk to face Meesahran with a dangerous gaze,
“You knew about this?!” Meesahran,
though frightened of the look on Xana’s face, has committed herself to
bringing all the secrets out, and answers the question. “Yes, when I started
on this mission, I discovered what Ruler Mehand was to you.” “So,
you haven’t known for very long?” Her tone has calmed dramatically. “No,
I had suspicions that she was more than your provincial benefactor, but I was
also kept in the dark…” Meesahran pauses to remember the circumstances under
which she came by this information. “And had I not seen that holo of your
mother with you and Yorel as infants, I might never have known. It was much like
the one you kept in your room on Commenor… It was then I knew and questioned
my master about my discovery. He confirmed it and asked that I remain silent
until the mission had been completed… For your safety’s sake.” Xana
begins to weep and shake her head back and forth, “How can so many people be
certain that they know what it best for my safety and never consult me on the
matter?” The
truth of her words hits Meesahran like the hilt of a saber against her skull.
Trying to find the right words to share with her friend Meesahran simply sits in
silence. “Do not worry, my friend… My anger will pass with time…” Xana
wipes away the tears from her own face and rolls back onto her side. “Right
now, I just need to come to terms with what has transpired… If you don’t
mind?” Meesahran takes the cue and gets up from the bunk, preparing to depart
from the Med-Bay. Placing
her right hand upon the doorway, she turns back to her friend, “Xana, I know
this may not help… But at least you have, and have always had a family to
protect you.” And with her words she is gone, before Xana can turn back to her
friend to apologize for her own words. Left
with those parting words, Xana is forced to come to grips with the knowledge
that her mother sacrificed everything so that she and Yorel could have normal
and safe lives, only to have that ideal stripped from her during the Great
Upheaval. That
thought immediately brings back to Xana those last moments spent with her
mother. Those horrifying and frightening moments during the raid on their home: With
a child under each arm, Corre Tryashoenu bolts from the house that she has lived
in these many years as the walls begin to crumble down around her under the
barrage of the mercenaries sent to kidnap her family. Dodging the stray blaster
fire, and running towards the neighboring home, Corre struggles to keep a solid
grip on her precious twins. Yorel holds so tightly to her neck that Corre fears
she loose breath, and Xana weeping so hard that Corre thinks she slip from her
grasp from the volume of her tears. Scared out of their minds but obeying their
mother’s request to remain silent, the twins are desperate to escape the
horrors besieging their house at this very moment. Upon
reaching the house of their neighbors, Corre takes each child and hands them to
the man at the door. “Please hurry, I do not know if they have seen our
escape, but it shall not be long, I fear.” The
man takes the children and then he himself bolts for the back of the house.
There, waiting at the back door is his eldest son, with a swoop bike already
ignited. The man places the children on the ground near the bike and Corre
embraces her two terrified children. “Now listen to me… Things will be scary
for a while, but I want you to remember that I am only trying to protect you
from those bad men.” Taking the locket
from around her neck, and laying a gentle kiss upon it before placing over
Xana’s head and then tucking it into her tunic. “Keep this locket safe, it
will protect you.” “I
can hear the engines from a transport heading down the lane. HURRY!” Exclaimed
the man from the house. “This
young man is going to take you someplace safe, and I want you to mind him until
I may retrieve you.” The two toe-headed children nod in affirmation, “Good,
now I love you both very much, and make sure to look out for one another. Until
I return, you only have each other to trust, is that understood?” Again the
children nod. “Look
if we don’t get out of here now, they’ll catch us!” The young man tells
Corre. Embracing
the children one last time, “Remember the locket dear ones, and my love.”
With tears now streaming down her own face mixing those of the children she
places each of them on the swoop bike with the young man. Xana in front and
Yorel holding on for dear life on the back. In a flash the engines of the swoop
are kicked up and the three are gone into the distance. As
tears begin to well up once more in Xana’s eyes, she remembers the delicate
and graceful features of her mother’s face as they sped away from that house.
She remembers taking a chance to look from under the arm of that poor boy just
in time to see a dark and menacing man standing over her mother’s limp form on
the ground. That day will forever be ingrained into Xana’s mind, and her
heart. Just
when she is threatened to delve back down into her own despair, she hears a
faint knock on the door to the Med-Bay. Standing there in the doorway, a man
whose caring for her can be felt by any standing near, and upon the sight of him
she springs into his arms and once again begins to sob uncontrollably. “Well,
I guess coming here WAS the right thing to do.” Jae Lee Reklaw holds onto the
weeping young woman tightly and tries to sooth her spirits with all that he has
in his power. “You okay?” He asks when he feels the sobbing begin to lessen. Nodding
into his chest, Xana tries to gather up herself before pulling back from his
gentle embrace. “Yes, thank you,” she mumbles from the folds of his flight
suit. “Mees
said that maybe I should get in here, but I wasn’t really sure until now…
Are you sure you’re okay?” He looks down into his chest to try and see
Xana’s face. Finally
able to get a grip on herself, Xana pulls back a little and gives a half-hearted
smile to Jae, “Yes, I guess I just needed a shoulder… One that wasn’t part
of this mess.” “Yeah,
well, Mees told me what was going down after your fainted… But look, at least
now, you got your family back, right?” Jae’s simple words bring a clarity to
Xana that even Meesahran’s comment had not. “Yes…
I suppose you have a point.” She rolls the idea around in her head for a while
longer, “You are right. After many years of feeling alone, even with Xaxan and
Yorel, I do have a family. Ones that can fill the void left by my mother’s
death.” Those last two words cause Xana much pain, ad she again remembers
finding the file on Xaxan’s computer telling of how her mother died. Not on
that ground just after she and Yorel attempted to flee, but days later, after
much torture. All in an effort to undermine Ruler Mehand’s
administration of Chandrila, of my grandmother’s rule.
“Yes, it all makes sense now!” Not
realizing she has spoken her revelation aloud, she is shocked when Jae responds.
“Hey, even I can make sense some times.” “What?…
Oh, no, I was just remembering when I learned of my mother’s death, how it did
not seem to make sense. I had always thought that they had mistakenly killed
her, thinking she was someone she was not. But she was who they were looking
for… The Ruler’s eldest child! She and her children were their greatest
bargaining chips.” Xana seems almost elated to have come to this realization. “Well,
if that makes you happy…” “What
do you mean?… Oh! No, it’s just that I have struggled with that notion for a
good portion of my life, and now, my mother’s death has purpose. Dying a
senseless death made it all the more tragic, but now, there was a reason for her
death, for our capture, for the things it has done to our lives.” Xana lays
her head into his chest once more, but this time, there are no tears, it is
sheerly for comfort and affection. “Then
I guess I can understand. Senseless acts can be harder to deal with.” He
strokes her hair, which is uncharacteristically hanging down, undone, “I just
wanted to make sure you were okay. Which I can see is the case, now…”
Struggling with the next words, he dares to ask Xana the question that has been
haunting him since the broadcast and Xana’s decision to not go back to
Chandrila. “So, where are we taking you now?” Shocked
out of her embrace, Xana looks up at Jae with a confused expression, “What do
you mean where?” “Well,
you said you weren’t going back to Chandrila, but you didn’t say where. I
guess I thought you were going back home… To be with your brothers.” His
words, so fragile, bring a wide smile to Xana’s face. “Mees
was right about you!” She laughs just a bit and then leans up on her toes to
place a gentles kiss upon his lips, saying “No silly, I am going to Sanctuary.
Master Falion always told me that I would be welcome there, whenever I desired
to enter training.” She then descends back into the warmth of his chest and
the loving embrace of his arms. In complete
shock and unable to speak for a few moments, until the warmth he feels from Xana
resting against his chest begins to feel like much more than mere body heat, and
then it all comes to him in a flood. “You mean… You’re an adept too?! And
what do you mean ‘Mees was right?’”
Creator: PtrsonsZOO (Jennifer)
*SPECIAL NOTE: Due to circumstances beyond our control, the rest of the story will be written by PtrsonsZOO (Jennifer)
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